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‘The Truman Show’ With Bill Simmons, Glen Powell, and Chris Ryan

November 4, 2025 · The Truman Show (1998) · Comedy · Drama · 1:42:31

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Categories

Hall of Fame Plaque

Bill Simmons▶ 10:41The Truman Show

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 38:22Lists multiple scenes including the opening with Christoph, Truman's flashback with Lauren, radio frequency discovery, and the ending when he hits the wall, but doesn't pick one definitive winner
Chris Ryan▶ 42:00Agrees with another host - the scene when Truman discovers the set and starts to see 'the ones and zeros'
Glen Powell▶ 41:58The scene where Truman puts it all together and discovers the truth - going through the revolving door and starting to see everything

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 52:40The moco cocoa coffee
Glen Powell▶ 52:49Discussed both moco cocoa coffee and chef's pal dicer/grater/peeler, noting the moco cocoa is probably the most iconic

Best Quote

Chris Ryan▶ 54:51You never had a camera in my head
Glen Powell▶ 55:26They never show it (security guards discussing intimate scenes)

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 59:23Questions what was fun about watching the TV show 24 hours a day and finds the premise of constant viewership unrealistic
Glen Powell▶ 57:26The dad storyline - thinks it could have been better cast with a more famous actor like Dennis Hopper or Tom Hanks

Overacting Award

Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:23Philip Baker Hall — Phil Baker Hall for his network president performance

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:061998 is in the running for the greatest 'checking all the boxes' movie year ever, citing extensive list of quality films across all genres
Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:35Would have loved to see Brian De Palma's version with a more sex-crazed, paranoid Truman cutting up magazine pictures of women
Glen Powell▶ 1:03:46The movie could have potentially been really good with Tom Hanks instead of Jim Carrey, because Hanks represents more of an everyman

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:37Gary Oldman — Discussed Jim Carrey took $12M (discount from $20M rate), Sam Jackson was considered but doubted it, Gary Oldman screen tested as Carrey fallback, Dennis Hopper fired after 2 days as Kristoff, Jack Nicholson approached but declined due to friendship with Hopper, Ed Harris cast last minute
Chris Ryan▶ 1:13:36Brian De Palma — Added that Brian De Palma turned down directing, Terry Gilliam and Barry Sonnenfeld were also circling as directors
Glen Powell▶ 1:13:08Ed Harris — Confirmed Ed Harris was cast just days before shooting after Dennis Hopper was fired, mentioned working with Harris on another film

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:47Jim Carrey — Yes for Jim Carrey - this is his Apex Mountain in 1998, right in the middle of his crazy run, his first well-received drama when he was one of the most powerful actors in Hollywood
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:24Participated in discussion but didn't give clear definitive answers on the main Apex Mountain questions, mostly asked clarifying questions about other actors
Glen Powell▶ 1:21:10Jim Carrey — Yes for Jim Carrey - agrees this is the third act of his crazy seven year run. Yes for Peter Weir over Dead Poets Society because this movie is way more complex in vision and world building

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:07Lists the options (Wayne Jenkins, Danny Trejo, Mad Dog Russo, Doris Burke, Buffalo Bill, Sam Jackson, Nell, Byron Mayo, Tony Romo, Chris Collinsworth) but doesn't select any specific one, though notes Nell would be 'interesting in this community'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:30:27Wayne Jenkins as the Peter Krause part, doing an impression: 'Goddamn, Truman. I didn't know I was working with the BTK killer. You better stop cutting pictures of ladies up from those fashion magazines.'

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Chris Ryan▶ 1:31:16Sports talk shows analyzing Truman's life and performance, with shows discussing whether he's 'still got it' at his job
Glen Powell▶ 1:30:54Ryan Murphy limited series

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:03Peter Weir — Weir (Director) - thinks the movie was so well crafted and filmed in a way that was ahead of its time
Chris Ryan▶ 1:32:22Andrew Niccol — Andrew Nichol (Original Screenplay) - considers it one of the great original screenplays of that decade

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:49Was Christoph evil? and What were Truman's next 24 hours like?
Chris Ryan▶ 1:33:48Noted the irony of Christof guarding his own privacy while violating Truman's completely
Glen Powell▶ 1:33:10Discussed Christof's psychology - sees himself as a father figure protecting Truman, justifying his actions as nurturing rather than evil

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:43The Game — Agreed with The Game suggestion and mentioned The Running Man, calling it a great double feature
Chris Ryan▶ 1:35:33The Matrix — Suggested multiple films: The Matrix, Gattaca, and The Game

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:35:53Jim Carrey — Carrie, though acknowledges a Peter Weir case but says Carrie ultimately won
Glen Powell▶ 1:36:09Carrie

Movies Referenced (60)

Miami Vice (2006)

7 mentions · Glen Powell, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 9:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Top Gun (1986)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Glen Powell, Chris Ryan▶ 2:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 8:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hot Fuzz (2007)

3 mentions · Glen Powell, Chris Ryan▶ 1:40:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Game (1997)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 19:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Good Year (2006)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 34:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

All the Right Moves (1983)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 17:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American History X (1998)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 34:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beautiful Girls (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 27:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Coco (2017)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 39:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 7:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gattaca (1997)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 37:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (9)

Peter Weir

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Glen Powell · Known for The Way Back, Witness▶ 8:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian De Palma

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 1:05:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Emma Chamberlain

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:36:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alfred Hitchcock

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest▶ 29:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barry Sonnenfeld

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Men in Black, Wild Wild West▶ 1:13:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Capra

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for It's a Wonderful Life, It Happened One Night▶ 29:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Rome

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Longest Yard, Space Jam▶ 1:31:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Bay

1 mentions · Glen Powell · Known for Armageddon▶ 1:41:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Fearless

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Lost in Space, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, The Replacement Killers▶ 25:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (54)

Jim Carrey

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Glen Powell, Chris Ryan · Known for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Bruce Almighty, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind▶ 1:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ed Harris

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Glen Powell · Known for The Truman Show▶ 13:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Giamatti

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Glen Powell, Chris Ryan · Known for Sideways, Cinderella Man, American Splendor▶ 27:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Laura Linney

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Glen Powell, Chris Ryan▶ 26:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hanks

8 mentions · Glen Powell, Bill Simmons · Known for Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump▶ 59:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Glen Powell · Known for Top Gun, Minority Report▶ 17:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robin Williams

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Mrs. Doubtfire▶ 8:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dennis Hopper

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Glen Powell · Known for Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, Speed▶ 58:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Game

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Street Kings, The A-Team, Coach Carter▶ 19:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Nicholson

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 1:13:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jodie Foster

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver▶ 1:29:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jon Bernthal

3 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Wolf of Wall Street, King Richard, Fury▶ 1:30:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (9)

Edgar Wright

4 mentions · Glen Powell, Chris Ryan · Known for Shaun of the Dead, Baby Driver▶ 1:40:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ryan Murphy

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Glen Powell▶ 1:30:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stephen King

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Glen Powell · Known for Maximum Overdrive▶ 1:39:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Bryant

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Don't Look Now▶ 17:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jackie Files

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jerry Bruckheimer

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Top Gun: Maverick, Armageddon▶ 1:16:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Patch Adams

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Patch Adams▶ 1:07:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philip Glass

1 mentions · Glen Powell · Known for The Truman Show, The Illusionist▶ 41:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ryan Seacrest

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 46:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗